does the school leadership encourage the cultivation of Catholic values and the spiritual formation of the school community?
does the school leadership make decisions to facilitate actions that focus the energies of the school on student achievement of the expected schoolwide learning results?
does the school leadership empower the staff?
does the school leadership ensure shared accountability for student learning?
Suggested Areas to Analyze
administrator and faculty written policies, charts, and handbooks that define responsibilities and relationships
the existing structures for internal communications, planning and resolving differences
strategies for team building used at the school
examples of collaboration across the school
the process for regular review of the existing structures
the leadership's processes and procedures for involving staff in shared responsibility, actions, and accountability to support student learning
the level of actual staff involvement in actions focusing on successful student learning and faith development
the degree to which the actions of the leadership are directly linked to student achievement of the expected schoolwide learning results
the measure of accountability to the pastor and religious community affiliation, where applicable
the degree to which the administration plans and coordinates regular staff meetings and makes provision for department meetings
the procedures for staff evaluation, including formal and informal classroom observations and student and parent input
To what extent does the school leadership encourage the cultivation of Catholic values and the spiritual formation of the school community?
The school leadership encourages the cultivation of Catholic values and the spiritual formation of the school community, especially with recent changes (see evidence).
To what extent does the school leadership make decisions to facilitate actions that focus the energies of the school on student achievement of the expected schoolwide learning results?
To a great extent school leadership make decisions to facilitate actions that focus the energies of the school on student achievement of the expected schoolwide learning results.
To what extent does the school leadership empower the staff?
To some extent the school leadership empowers the staff. When the staff is empowered, we are fully empowered. However, there are times when we are just informed about decisions with absolutely no input (not empowered at all).
To what extent does the school leadership ensure shared accountability for student learning?
To a small extent the school leadership ensures shared accountability (especially with availability of electronic resources for student learning); however, we think the teachers are often held to a higher level of accountability than students and parents/guardians.
Areas of Strength
Evidence
Areas of Growth
Evidence
School leadership encourages the cultivation of Catholic values and the spiritual formation of the school community.
Kairos experience added; faculty/staff encouraged to attend and given release time; school leadership attendance at Kairos; Director of Faith and Service position created (Peter Shelley's); Weekly mass before school (Wed morning); Leadership team for Monday morning prayer; Two chapters of Holy Cross Associates; leadership encourages faculty/staff to participate in student retreats and often attend themselves; Holy Cross Institute; attendance at international celebrations/canonization; "Blessed Basil Moreau and St. Andre Besette pray for us"; Relics preserved and honored on campus; Holy Cross Mission Assessment; Faculty/staff retreat at the beginning of the school year including service project; Father Moreau Day (Book Drive); Junior retreat (optional); Sophomore immersion (to St. Anthony’s); Frosh retreat (at school w/ theology class); Prayers begin every meeting run by leadership and provided to department chairs before department meetings;
As of today (3/25), only 25 out of 227 seniors have participated in the Kairos program. Is it due to lack of institutional support? Not all faculty and staff "buying" into the program. Could faculty/staff attendance at retreats count as prefecting?
School leadership makes decisions to facilitate actions that focus the energies of the school on student achievement of the expected ESLRs (schoolwide learning results).
Many aspects of the school community are included in "school leadership": AD, Faith Formation, Finance, IA, APs, and Principal; one to one laptop program; communication via the Student Handbook Professional development; library staff involvement in expanding our technology: databases, site licenses, e-books, LibGuides etc. Curriculum Mapper and the addition of the "reflection" column; Lunch with the Principal; Student Curriculum Committee; Link Crew; Schoolwide assemblies (i.e., Keith Hawkins spoke with Campus Ministry, ASB, and Link Crew about leadership skills, etc. and Lopez Lomong and Invisible Children, Black History Month, Academic Awards Assembly); Father Moreau Day; Culture Week; Earth Week; Student of the Month; Academic Support Center; Counselor dedicated to Saints and Scholars Program (Andrea brings in speakers for students, faculty & parents); Summer school opportunities; Tech Camp;
When the staff feel empowered, we are fully empowered. However, there are times when we are just informed about decisions without an opportunity to give input (not empowered).
(we are responding to this as faculty/staff, not just "staff") professional development opportunities forwarded, encouraged and funded; Faculty/staff included in re-tooling of collaboration; Workshop decided by Math Dept; Leadership researching and forwarding development opportunities (ABC-CLIO Webinar for SS Dept); Faculty included in curriculum and textbook/e-book decisions and choices; Coaches and co-curricular activities allowed autonomy in their sport/art; Faculty/staff involved in the examination and modification of the ESLRs;
Dept days/collaborations are taken away; Top down decisions without faculty/staff input (calendar);
Sometimes feel teachers are held responsible for the lack of student progress when we have taken every reasonable step to assist success; Leadership at times has expressed a desire to shy away from disciplinary action in response to work not turned in, resulting in the teaching staff feeling un-empowered;
Schedule of classes often finalized without any teacher/Dept Chair input (especially PE considering facility restraints);
Teachers don't feel empowered to not allow student-athletes to leave class early for athletic events when they are struggling students or to require attendance at collab to make up for the time missed;
The school leadership ensures shared accountability especially with availability of electronic resources for student learning. However, teachers are often held to a higher level of accountability and responsibility than students and parents/ guardians.
Parent/Guardian access to PowerSchool and Moodle; Back to School Night; Parent/Teacher conferences; Academic Support Center;
We have Teacher/Student responsibility listed in handbook, but no parent/guardian responsibilities;
Teachers' experience is that they feel that they are held more responsible than students (especially in the recent approach to D/F students);
Need a leadership point person (like Tom did a couple of years ago with D/F students);
Course evaluations;
Teacher observations;
Feedback opportunities for faculty/staff to the leadership
11/30/10-Anne Arriaga (Minutes) Group Norms:
Everyone will be a recorder - alternate weeks. Colleen will send out schedule for recorders.
One person will not dominate the conversation.
Don't take things personally.
Be mindful of how we say things. Respectful in our speech.
Notify Colleen ahead of time if we aren't going to be there.
Decisions decided by the majority.
Everyone will be responsible for taking turns gathering evidence.
There will be sufficient time given to collect evidence.
Category A: Organization for Student Learning
Table of Contents
A3
To What Extent...
Suggested Areas to Analyze
Guiding Questions
The school leadership encourages the cultivation of Catholic values and the spiritual formation of the school community, especially with recent changes (see evidence).
To a great extent school leadership make decisions to facilitate actions that focus the energies of the school on student achievement of the expected schoolwide learning results.
To some extent the school leadership empowers the staff. When the staff is empowered, we are fully empowered. However, there are times when we are just informed about decisions with absolutely no input (not empowered at all).
To a small extent the school leadership ensures shared accountability (especially with availability of electronic resources for student learning); however, we think the teachers are often held to a higher level of accountability than students and parents/guardians.
Director of Faith and Service position created (Peter Shelley's);
Weekly mass before school (Wed morning);
Leadership team for Monday morning prayer;
Two chapters of Holy Cross Associates;
leadership encourages faculty/staff to participate in student retreats and often attend themselves;
Holy Cross Institute;
attendance at international celebrations/canonization;
"Blessed Basil Moreau and St. Andre Besette pray for us";
Relics preserved and honored on campus;
Holy Cross Mission Assessment;
Faculty/staff retreat at the beginning of the school year including service project;
Father Moreau Day (Book Drive);
Junior retreat (optional);
Sophomore immersion (to St. Anthony’s);
Frosh retreat (at school w/ theology class);
Prayers begin every meeting run by leadership and provided to department chairs before department meetings;
one to one laptop program;
communication via the Student Handbook
Professional development;
library staff involvement in expanding our technology: databases, site licenses, e-books, LibGuides etc.
Curriculum Mapper and the addition of the "reflection" column;
Lunch with the Principal;
Student Curriculum Committee;
Link Crew;
Schoolwide assemblies (i.e., Keith Hawkins spoke with Campus Ministry, ASB, and Link Crew about leadership skills, etc. and Lopez Lomong and Invisible Children, Black History Month, Academic Awards Assembly);
Father Moreau Day;
Culture Week;
Earth Week;
Student of the Month;
Academic Support Center;
Counselor dedicated to Saints and Scholars Program (Andrea brings in speakers for students, faculty & parents);
Summer school opportunities;
Tech Camp;
Faculty/staff included in re-tooling of collaboration;
Workshop decided by Math Dept;
Leadership researching and forwarding development opportunities (ABC-CLIO Webinar for SS Dept);
Faculty included in curriculum and textbook/e-book decisions and choices;
Coaches and co-curricular activities allowed autonomy in their sport/art;
Faculty/staff involved in the examination and modification of the ESLRs;
Sometimes feel teachers are held responsible for the lack of student progress when we have taken every reasonable step to assist success; Leadership at times has expressed a desire to shy away from disciplinary action in response to work not turned in, resulting in the teaching staff feeling un-empowered;
Schedule of classes often finalized without any teacher/Dept Chair input (especially PE considering facility restraints);
Teachers don't feel empowered to not allow student-athletes to leave class early for athletic events when they are struggling students or to require attendance at collab to make up for the time missed;
However, teachers are often held to a higher level of accountability and responsibility than students and parents/ guardians.
Back to School Night;
Parent/Teacher conferences;
Academic Support Center;
Teachers' experience is that they feel that they are held more responsible than students (especially in the recent approach to D/F students);
Need a leadership point person (like Tom did a couple of years ago with D/F students);
Course evaluations;
Teacher observations;
Feedback opportunities for faculty/staff to the leadership
NOTES
11/30/10-Anne Arriaga (Minutes)
Group Norms:
Everyone will be a recorder - alternate weeks. Colleen will send out schedule for recorders.
One person will not dominate the conversation.
Don't take things personally.
Be mindful of how we say things. Respectful in our speech.
Notify Colleen ahead of time if we aren't going to be there.
Decisions decided by the majority.
Everyone will be responsible for taking turns gathering evidence.
There will be sufficient time given to collect evidence.